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y GRATB. No. 428,642. Patented May 27, 1890.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. I

FRANK. B. SITES, OF DEFIANCE, OHIO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO HENRY D.BOKOP, OF SAME PLACE.

CRATE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 428,642, dated May 2'?,1890.

Application tiled March 5, 1890. Serial No. 342,777. (No model.)

.To all whom it 'may concern.-

Be it known that l, FRANK. B. SITES, a citizen of the United States,residing at Defiance, in the county of Defiance and State of Ohio,

have invented a new and useful Crate, of

which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to crates for the transportation of fruits andother articles of merchandise and for the storage ot' such artiio cles;and it has for its object to provide a crate which shall .be simple inconstruction, durable, and inexpensive, and in which the contents shallbe freely ventilated, thereby preventing deterioration and loss fromlack of ventilation.

The invention consists, specifically, in a crate or packing-boxconstructed of a fabric composed of Wooden slats and wireg'interwoven,the detailed construction of said crate being as will be hereinafterfully described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings hereto annexed, Figure l is a perspective view of acrate or packing-box embodying my improvements. Fig. 2 is a perspectiveview showing the same with the cover open. Fig. 3 is a longitudinalvertical sectional view of the same. Fig. 4 is ahori- Zontal sectionalView. Fig. 5 is a vertical transverse sectional view.

Like numerals of reference indicatelike parts in all the figures.

The fabric of which my improved crate or packing-box is constructed iscomposed of wooden slats l l, of suitable length, interwoven betweenpairs of strands 2 2, of ordinary wire. Of this fabric, inthe'construction of an ordinary packing-crate such as has been shown inthe annexed drawings, three pieces of suitable dimensions are used toform, respectively, thebody 3, the bottom 4, and the top 5. The body 3is formed by bending a single strip of the fabric to form the sidesl 6(i and the ends 7 7. Bracingstrips S S are nailed or otherwise securedkexterior-ly at the lower ends and interiorly at the upper ends of theends and sides to secure the latter against collapsing. The bottom Llislikewise formed of a single piece of the fabric, to the edges of whichon the outer or under side are nailed or otherwise secured thelongitudinal bracing-strips 9 9. The top 5 isconstructed,` like thebottom, of a single stripor piece of the fabric, to the edges of whichon the upper or outerv side are nailed or other- I'wise secured thelongitudinal bracing-strips l0 lO. The severa-l parts-namely, thebody-,; top, and bottom-are of course to be properly proportioned, so asto fit neatly together. The bottom 4 is permanently secured to the body3 by means of Wires ll, looped around the bottom strips 8 of the bodyand around the bracing-strips 9 and end slats l of the bo`t tom, saidconnecting-wires being twisted, as shown at l2, between the bottom andthe body. The bottom being thus secured serves also to brace the body ofthe crate and to render it sufficiently stiff and rigid to withstandconsiderable rough usage without'danger of being injured. To the sidesand ends of the top'are similarly wired the strips 13, which are adaptedto fit around the upper edge of the body of the crate, thus forming aneatly-fitting and durable cover, which may be secured by hinge-Wires 14to the wires 2, connecting the slats l of one side of the box or crate.'The corners of the crate are re-enforced by clamping-wires l5 l5, whichmay be secu red by means of staples 1G orin any other suitable manner,and the ends of which are bent around the corners of `the crate anddriven into the slats or the bracing-strips, as the case may be. The lidof the crate when closed may be secured by means of staples 17 and wirehasps 1S, the latter being preferably secured upon the former by meansof a wire provided with a metal seal of ordinary construction. Thisfastening-wire has not been shown in the drawings, however, as it'forinsno part of my invention.

The advantages of my improved crate will be readily understood from theforegoing description, taken in connection With the drawings heretoannexed.

The construction, as will be seen, is exceedingly simple and thematerial employed is inexpensive, thus enabling my improved crates to bemanufactured and placed on the market at a very small expense.

The crate will be found exceedingly useful for the storage andtransportation of fruits and other like perishable articles ofmerchandise, which frequently are damaged or destroyed from a lack ofproper ventilation, and the crate admits of the convenient inspection ofits contents, which is always shown off to best advantage.

The crate or package is strong and durable and may when properly handledbe used an indefinite number of times.

I reserve the right to make crates or packages embodying my invention ofall sizes and of different shapes to render them useful for all purposesfor which such crates or packages may be profitably employed.

Having thus described my invention, I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent of the United Statesl. A crate or package constructed ofwooden slats and wire interwoven and comprising the body constructed ofa single piece of such fabric properly shaped, and having` interiorbracing-strips at its upper end and exterior bracing-strips at its lowerend, the bottom composed of a single strip ofthe fabric having exteriorlongitudinal bracing-strips, and the top composed of asingle strip ofthefabrie having exterior longitudinal bracing-strips and provided with.edge strips wired to the sides and ends thereof, the bottom beingsecured to the body by wires looped around and connecting the end slatsandthe bracing-strips ot' the bottom with the bracing-strips at thelower end of the body, substantially as set forth.

2. The crate the body of which is constructed of wooden slats and wireinterwoven and having the interior braeing-strips at its upper edge, incombination with the cover constructed of like material and having theedge strips at its sides and ends, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as v my own I have heretoa'liixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FRANK. B. SITES.

Witnesses:

MARY H. WEINLAND, J'No. P. CAMERON.

